Isotropic pitch-based carbon fiber was successfully prepared from tetrahydrofuran-soluble fraction of coal tar pitch cocarbonization with petrolatum by air-blowing. The effects of reaction temperature and time, amount of petrolatum added on the composition and spinning properties of resultant pitches were investigated. It indicated that petrolatum could effectively improve the softening point, aromaticity, hydrogen content and molecular weight of the resultant pitches by promoting cross-linking and dehydrogenation polymerization reactions at low air-blowing temperature. Moreover, more aliphatic and naphthenic structures had been introduced into resultant pitches as addition of petrolatum and also inhibited the generation of quinoline-insoluble particles. The obtained green fibers were facile to be stabilized and carbonized and the resultant carbon fibers showed fully isotropic and finer, uniform diameter with smooth surface and higher tensile strength of up to 0.92 GPa. It provided a facile chemical modification method for isotropic pitch-based carbon fiber production.
Hay-making is one of the most common way for forage preservation in livestock industry. The quality and production of hay could be affected by various factors. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of tedding time and frequency on drying rate and feed value of forage rye (Secale cereale L.) hay. Rye was harvested on heading stage using mower conditioner. Hay was tedded at each set hour(09:00, 13:00 and 17:00) and sampled at each set hour to determine dry matter (DM) content. After two months’ preservation, CP (crude protein), ADF (acid detergent fiber), NDF (neutral detergent fiber), IVDMD (in vitro dry matter digestibility), TDN (total digestible nutrient), RFV (relative feed value), DM loss, visual scores and total fungi count were determined for estimation of hay quality. Tedding was necessary for both speeding up drying rate and improving forage quality. Tedding at 17:00 showed lower NDF content (p<0.05), and also higher RFV value was found compared with tedding at 9:00 and 13:00 (p<0.05). On the other hand, it was observed that more DM losses would be found when tedding later (p<0.05). Tedding in 1~3 times per day were lower in ADF and NDF content (p<0.05), increased CP, TDN and RFV (p<0.05), got less DM loss (p<0.05), and contained less fungi during conservation compared with no tedding (p<0.05). On the other hand, tedding too frequent caused more DM loss (p<0.05). In conclusion, for shorter drying process and higher quality of forage rye hay, tedding at 13:00∼17:00 for 1∼2 times per day was recommended in this study.
While the relationship between market orientation and new product performance has been extensively investigated, the mechanism by which market orientation contributes to new product performance was further studied in a business-to-business context. We developed a set of alternative research models to examine the roles of timing of entry and positional advantage in the market orientation—new product performance relationship. The results showed that industrial firms’ positional advantage is a key step in the process. Market orientation does not directly influence new product performance. Instead, market orientation helps to establish a firms’ positional advantage, which, in turn, positively influences new product performance in the marketplace. Timing of entry, shown to be an outcome of positional advantage, is not a determinant of new product performance in the business-to-business context. The findings revealed that market-oriented firms achieve superior new product performance through thoughtfulness indicated by a well-defined positioning strategy, not rapidity of action.
The study aims to investigate the pattern of relationships such as symmetric or asymmetric, between exchange rate and foreign direct investment in Bangladesh by applying Autoregressive Distributed Lagged (ARDL) and nonlinear ARDL. In this study, we employed quarterly data for the period of 1974Q1 to 2016Q4. Data were collected and aggregated from various sources namely, Bangladesh Economic Review published by Ministry of Finance and statistical yearbook published by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and an annual report published by Bangladesh Bank. The relationship between exchange rate and FDI inflows attract immense interest in the recent periods, especially for developing countries’ perspective. The results of the study ascertain the long run relationship between FDI, exchange rate, monetary policy, and fiscal policy. Considering the asymmetric assumption, the findings from NARDL confirm the existence of a long-run asymmetric relationship in the empirical equation. In the long run, it is observed that positive change that is the appreciation of exchange rate against USD decrease FDI inflows and negative shocks results in grater inflows of FDI, however, the positive shocks produce higher intensity that negative shocks in Exchange rate. For directional causality, the coefficients of error correction term confirm long-run causality, in particular, bidirectional causality unveiled between FDI and exchange rate.
Purpose - This study focuses on the continuance intention of O2O fresh agricultural products e-commerce. By literature review, this paper looks through the classical theories which are often applied to study use behavior and continuance intention on the electronic commerce area. Ultimately based on the expectancy theory, Technology acceptance model, success model as well as trust model, a model of the continuance intention of fresh products O2O electronic commerce application is established.
Research design, data, and methodology - Among users Chinese consumers have been chosen who have use experience as the research objects. From October 2, 2018 to November 2, 2018, 685 questionnaires in total were collected by the online release and collection. Expect for the negative questionnaires, the remaining 650 pieces of data are statistically analyzed. The collected data were firstly be analyzed by SPSS Ver. 25 on its frequency, reliability and exploratory factors. Then AMOS Ver. 25 is applied to the Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Discriminant Validity and hypothesis testing of the Structural Equation Modeling. Finally, the following research conclusions could be obtained from the hypothesis testing.
Results - Firstly, in the extended IS model, quality factor for hypothesis testing, service quality, information quality and delivery quality have obviously present positive influences on satisfaction respectively. Secondly, in the hypothesis testing part of ECM-ISC model and UTAUT model, all hypotheses have presented accepted results. Especially from expectation confirmation to usefulness perception, the influence factor achieves 12.603, In the hypothesis of continuance intention, the influence factor of social influence on continuance intention is 7.748 and also it is the most remarkable one.
Conclusions - The results show that the service quality of O2O fresh agricultural products e-commerce has the greatest impact on satisfaction, while the perceived usefulness of consumers has the most significant impact on O2O fresh agricultural products for sustainable use intention. This thesis makes up for the blank of O2O fresh food e-commerce for sustainable use intentions, and provides a theoretical basis for consumers' sustainable use behavior, and practical enlightenment for the sustainable development of O2O fresh agricultural products e-commerce.